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Withal
Withal was a Meckros weaponsmith and swordmaker from the Third Meckros city.Midnight Tides, Dramatis PersonaeMidnight Tides, Prologue, US SFBC p.26-28 He was described as a huge man,Midnight Tides, Prologue, US SFBC p.26 who was bald and muscular.Midnight Tides, Chapter 19, US SFBC p.586 He was a war veteran who worked hard to avoid speaking of his experiences.Midnight Tides, Chapter 9, US SFBC p.273-274 He despised religion and hated gods, and he thought Ascendants worse than rabid beasts, just as capable of appalling evil as mortals, but immortal and more powerful.Midnight Tides, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.506/520 Withal employed a number of boys as his apprentices.Midnight Tides, Chapter 19, US SFBC p.587 He spoke the Letherii trader language.Midnight Tides, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.586 In Midnight Tides Withal first appeared as the lone survivor of the disaster that destroyed his city. He was rescued and brought to an island holding the tent of the Crippled God. The god enslaved him but told him that he would be set free once he had fashioned a sword of the god's devising. To assist with his task, Withal was given the company and service of three Nachts: Rind, Mape, and Pule.Midnight Tides, Prologue, US SFBC p.26-28 Two years later, the sword was given to the Tiste Edur of Lether, its location shown to Warlock King Hannan Mosag in a vision. Rhulad Sengar perished while holding the sword and his spirit was brought to the Crippled God's island where he was found by Withal and brought to the god's tent. By this time, Withal also noticed that the Nachts engaged in a regular performance in which Pule built a nest, Male destroyed it, and Rind watched with hilarity.Midnight Tides, Chapter 9, US SFBC p.270 The patterns of Rhulad's returns and the Nacht performances repeated again and again and Withal began to fear he was losing his mind. The god had lied about his freedom and promised everything would be made clear if only Withal worshipped him. The swordsmith began to believe that the Nachts were trying to communicate some obvious lesson that he failed to understand.Midnight Tides, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.506-507 Concerned for the well-being of his captive, the Crippled God resurrected the Tiste Andii, Sandalath Drukorlat, in order to provide Withal with female companionship. Withal was disgusted by the god's gesture, and despite his loathing of the gods, began praying to Mael, ancient god of the sea.Midnight Tides, Chapter 16, US SFBC p.515/519-520 Sandalath and Withal did not get along and quarreled constantly, their mutual dislike leaning towards hatred.Midnight Tides, Chapter 19, US SFBC p.584-587 Withal dedicated all his efforts to praying, hoping Mael took pity on him.Midnight Tides, Chapter 22, US SFBC p.663 Finally, a storm appeared off the coast of the island, and Withal had an epiphany regarding the Nacht's performances. He toppled the Crippled God's tent upon its shrieking occupant and a boat bearing Mael arrived on shore. The god offered the boat for Withal and the others to escape stating he would see Withal again soon as he had things for the swordsmith to do. Then Mael went to beat the Crippled God senseless.Midnight Tides, Epilogue, US SFBC p.769-771 In The Bonehunters Despite her physical and verbal abuse toward him, Withal eventually married Sand. Withal lived in Malaz City and was known as Foreigner at Coop's Hanged Man Inn.The Bonehunters, Chapter 17 When the Fourteenth Army sailed into the Malaz Bay, Tavore commissioned Bottle to find an unnamed person and bring him back to the Froth Wolf.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23 Bottle had not arrived when it was time to leave the island. Tavore said that unless Bottle returned with his charge, the trip to Malaz City was a failure.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23 That person was Withal.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23 In Reaper's Gale Withal and Sandalath travelled and stayed at the island of the Shake. In Dust of Dreams Withal accompanied Sandalath as she pursued the Shake into Kurald Galain where she was once held hostage. In The Crippled God Withal tried to keep Sandalath sane as she relived the horrors of life in Kharkanas before the Andii exodus. Her crippling memories and the loss of her son proved to be too much for him to heal, and Withal left her on the throne to help defend the First Shore with the Shake. He fought during the final stand of the Shake, surviving with Yan Tovis to witness the return of the Tiste Andii to Kharkanas. Notes and references de:Withal Category:Meckros Category:Males Category:Humans